Criminals and their guns are not born, they're made

Blocking the path to the dark side for both:

Many of the guns confiscated this month were stolen – a good number of them locally, but some from out of state as well...too often gun possession by criminals is not punished as harshly as perhaps it should be. People need to know that if they are illegally carrying a gun, they will go to jail.

Common sense dictates that legal gun enthusiasts would embrace efforts to crack down on the illegal gun trade, since that could reduce the likelihood of having their precious guns stolen. But I gave up a long time ago on expecting any form of common sense out of that crowd.

Especially in light of the fact that normally sensible legislators would even consider something as foolish as this:

AN ACT to repeal the state law that requires a person to obtain a license or permit to purchase, sell, give away, receive, or otherwise transfer a pistol or crossbow.

As I've mentioned before, I'm no stranger to firearms. For several years, I instructed people here and abroad in the proficient and safe use of them. Even ROTC cadets, which is more dangerous than it sounds, unfortunately. ;)

I'm also (very) well aware of the problem of legal guns following the path to the dark side. About twelve years ago, before I was even aware of the Puppetmaster, much less brought to the edge of nausea by his behavior, I purchased a Chinese SKS 7.62 assault rifle (complete with bayonet) in one of his stores. Along with a couple of adaptable 30 round magazines and a few hundred rounds of Czech manufacture, all right there at the counter in Roses. And they didn't even ask me for my library card, much less a photo ID. But I digress.

I got a phone call at work one day from our local police telling me they were pretty sure I'd had a break-in. Sure enough, my SKS and a sweet little Makharov pistol had been stolen. I had trigger locks on both, but neither were secured in any kind of gunsafe. My fault. And since then, I've often worried that someone may have been injured or killed with my guns. It's one of the reasons I follow this issue so closely, and keep hoping to see common sense prevail. But I haven't seen it yet.

The article covers other areas that are crucial to bringing crime numbers down. Unfortunately, our Legislature appears to be dropping the ball on most of those, as well:

At the very least, helping children from impoverished, troubled neighborhoods start school on a level playing field with their more affluent peers gives them a fighting chance to excel academically – which in turn reduces the chances that they will drop out, underachieve or turn to crime.

And while education is a piece of the puzzle, it is a long-term solution and must be accompanied by economic, social and cultural factors such as better parenting, positive peer pressure and availability of jobs that pay a living wage.

Here's the big difference between Progressives and Conservatives, regardless of party affiliation: Progressives understand that positive change doesn't happen in a public policy vacuum. That change won't happen magically, by the wave of some fairy's wand. And people won't revert to some Father Knows Best morally sound nostalgic fantasy society in the absence of that mean old government.

If you want change, truly positive change, then you've got to work for it. Progress isn't easy, and it's hardly ever cheap. But it is necessary, if we want to make our future less dark.